Borsch of Balance: A Spring-Summer Healing Recipe for Nourishing the Body and Soul
Borsch recipe
A grounding beet-based soup rooted in Prophetic Medicine, Unani Tibb, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, which is perfect for emotional healing, liver detox, and post-treatment recovery.
Healing Borsch Recipe for Phlegmatic & Melancholic Temperaments (Spring + Summer)
Some meals nourish more than just the body, they reset your whole system. This borsch came to life after a week of deep healing: acupuncture, massage, and emotional release. I needed warmth, grounding, and protection, and this soup delivered all three.
Made with beets, cabbage, dill, and broth, this borsch aligns with spring and summer energy, supports emotional balance, and offers energetic protection when you’re feeling sensitive or spiritually open.
Seasonal & Temperamental Alignment
In Unani Tibb, each person has a unique temperament (mizaj), and each season brings a shift that can disrupt our inner balance. This recipe supports those who feel out of sync in spring and summer, especially those with:
Phlegmatic Temperament
Cold & moist
Struggles with heaviness, congestion, slow digestion
This soup warms, moves, and clears excess damp
Melancholic Temperament (Saudawi)
Cold & dry
Prone to anxiety, overthinking, and dryness
This soup gently moistens and grounds
You can perform the free self-assessment from our resources page or schedule an initial consult and we can go through it together!
While anyone can enjoy borsch with minor adjustments, this specific version is especially designed for phlegmatic and melancholic types, who benefit most from its warming, blood-nourishing, and emotionally stabilizing properties.
Energetic Benefits from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Perspective
In TCM, spring is the season of the Liver, which governs emotional flow, detox, and the smooth movement of Qi. If Liver Qi stagnates, it can show up as irritability, PMS, headaches, or digestive sluggishness.
This soup is a therapeutic ally for:
Building Blood (Xue): Beets, carrots, and cabbage all nourish Blood, which supports energy, mood, and hormonal balance.
Tonifying Spleen Qi: Cooked vegetables, potatoes, and warm spices support digestion, which is vital for transforming food into postnatal Qi.
Moving Liver Qi: Vinegar and dill gently help release tension and frustration while aiding detox.
Balancing Yin & Yang: Especially helpful after acupuncture or bodywork, when your energetic system is open and integrating healing.
TCM sees this soup as a warm, harmonizing remedy; it grounds, clears, and tonifies in one pot.
Spiritual Protection Through Prophetic Wisdom
According to Prophetic Medicine, vinegar is a blessed food, which is praised by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for its simplicity and benefits. In this soup, it serves to brighten, purify, and protect.
But another, lesser-known ingredient that carries both spiritual and digestive protection is asafoetida (Devil’s Dung), known in Prophetic circles and Tibb as a natural repellant against harmful spirits, energies, and parasites. In Unani and South Asian traditions, it’s often used for spiritual shielding and gut healing.
If you’ve been experiencing spiritual heaviness, nightmares, excessive waswasa (whispers), or feel energetically “open” after healing sessions, just a pinch of asafoetida added during the sauté stage of this soup may provide an added layer of protection.
It blends beautifully with onions and garlic (if added), and works synergistically with vinegar and black pepper to close subtle energetic openings.
Tip: Add a small dash of asafoetida with the turmeric and black pepper during step 2 of the recipe.
Borsch of Balance (Recipe)
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
¼ head green cabbage, shredded
3 medium beets, grated or julienned
3 large carrots, grated
1 medium onion, diced
2–3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
½ red bell pepper, diced
2–3 yellow potatoes, peeled and diced (optional)
½ bunch fresh dill, chopped
1 halal chicken bouillon cube
3 tablespoons ketchup
2–3 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
6–8 cups water
1–2 bay leaves (optional)
Instructions
Sauté aromatics:
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Sauté 5–7 minutes until softened.
Bloom the spices:
Add turmeric and black pepper. Stir for 1 minute to activate their healing properties.
Add beets and carrots:
Stir in grated beets and carrots. Cook for another 2–3 minutes.
Build the broth:
Add water, bouillon cube, cabbage, and potatoes. Stir in ketchup, salt, and bay leaves.
Simmer:
Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30–45 minutes until everything is tender and flavors meld.
Finish with herbs & vinegar:
Stir in dill and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Taste and add the third tablespoon if desired.
Serve mindfully:
Warm for spring healing
Room temp or slightly chilled in dry summer weather
Top with a spoon of plain greek yogurt or a sprinkle of fresh parsley
Post-Meal Ritual for Integration
Support your healing on all levels with this simple aftercare flow:
Epsom salt soak (bath or foot): Draws out toxins and relaxes muscles
Acupressure on SP6 or LIV3: Grounds and moves Qi
Dua or dhikr: Recite Al-Wakeel or Al-Hafidh while resting
Journaling Prompt: What part of me feels more supported after this meal? What am I ready to release?
From Our Kitchen to Your Heart
This is the first in a growing recipe series designed to bring spiritual healing, seasonal balance, and temperamental nourishment back to your table.
If this borsch supported you, physically, emotionally, or spiritually, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Want More Healing?
[Book a Sufi Healing Session →] Book Now
